12 Days of Holiday Shipping - Teslen
by WittyWallflower
Summary: Based on general holiday prompts (in no way related to the song this time). Teslen
1. Chapter 1

**December 14th:** Ugly Sweaters

The cold night was closing in. The high altitude abnormal had led them on a merry chase and now they stranded on the side of this mountain as the temperature dropped. She might have hiked back to their extraction point even in the dark, but the moon was immediately obscured by clouds that began dumping fat heavy snowflakes upon them. Within minutes their gear was soaked and they were shivering. Nikola's physiology protected him from frostbite but not from feeling miserable.

It was their great good fortune the Abnormal lived near ski country. Stumbling upon an chalet meant they'd survive the night. Helen had scavenged everything within reach to stuff into the fire place. She stuffed a pile of wooden knick-knacks and throw pillows in until the flames caught and she could feel her fingertips again.

Warming her hands as the meager fire grew, she glanced at their surroundings and found the firewood. She threw wood in, building up the fire as much as she could without risking the whole place being burnt to the ground. It was a private chalet, which meant the owner had money. The decor was suitably rustic for a mountain dwelling, but obviously expensive and elegant. The large living room they were in looked like it belonged in a magazine spread.

The shadowy loft and hallways that led off the room were wasted space for them, as they both huddled near the fireplace, neither anxious to leave the only source of heat.

The decor was elegant but Helen found she couldn't same the same for clothes she had turned up when she went rifling through the closets. They were mostly empty, so the options boiled down to ski suits or a pile of garish holiday jumpers.

"Really, Helen…." Nikola's face was pinched in distaste as she handed him a stack.

"We don't have a lot of options, Nikola." Helen said, starting to wiggler her way out of her wet gear. Her teeth had started to chatter again during her short foray out of the room and her discomfort gave her no patience for his prissiness.

Helen disrobing was enough to distract Nikola from his complaints. He eyes her appreciatively as sodden garments were tossed on the floor. With a disapproving _tsk_ , she turned her back to him before she peeled her blouse off and pulled one of the slightly musty wool sweaters over her head. She shucked her bra before sticking her arms through the sleeves and quickly following up with another layer. The large sweater she pulled on was embroidered with bright red poinsettias and thankfully large enough to cover her nearly to the knee.

The interesting part over (with nary even a glimpse of side boob), Nikola went back to glowering at her unhappily.

"Well don't blame me!" Helen chided as she pulled her damp socks off and spread them to dry by the fire. She'd managed to find a truly hideous pair but thick pair to replace them. They were miles too big for her and, like the sweater, nearly reached her knees in the other direction. "It isn't my fault we didn't find a Mens Warehouse to shelter in."

"You wound me, Helen!" he protested. "As if I would wear anything off the rack."

But there was nothing for it so Nikola was forced to changed into the borrowed shirts. The top layer was a nice shade of blue. It brought out the color of his eyes, Helen thought. But the pattern of white snowflakes and reindeer made him sigh in disgust.

"Come." Helen beckoned from the couch where she was now burrowing under a few heavy throw blankets left folded over the furniture. "Help me keep warm."

Well, he wouldn't have to look at their hideous outfits if they were covered by blankets at least. Not that he needed another reason to crawl in next to his dear Helen.

He shifted the flow of electricity within him, nudging it just slightly out of the perfect balance he kept it in until it emitted a byproduct of heat. Turning him into a walking, talking hot water bottle that Helen cuddled up to gladly. Nikola refrained from commenting on their intimate nearness, not wanting her to pull away. He settled his arms around her and she inched in to get comfortable, her head finding its way to lay on his chest.

Resting his chin on top of her head, her body warming in his arms and her heart beating a steady reassuring rhythm he could feel down to his bones, he resolved not to move an inch until he absolutely had to get up to feed the fire.

Thoroughly thawed into a state of drowsiness, Helen let herself doze. She knew she was safe with Nikola and she slept with her head pillowed against him until the scratchy knit of his jumper tickled her nose.

When she shifted to his shoulder, Nikola smiled a tiny smile. It grew when her body sagged in sleep again and her face ended up pressed into the side of his neck. Her breath fanned over his skin and Nikola felt a warmth that wasn't due to the heat of her breath, the roaring flames of the fire, or the energy within him. Helen slept on and Nikola watched over her, filled to the brim with affection for the most amazing person he had ever known.


	2. Chapter 2

**December 15th:** Ice Skating

Helen's ice-skates were rather old. Big Guy had polished and sharpened the blades for her but she wished he had taken the time to remove the faux fur trim and puff balls that dangled from the ends of the laces. Ashley's very brief phase of adoring all things pink and girly had coincided with her equally short-lived fascination with figure skating. After two months of dedication, it had seemed like this new hobby was going to stick. So Helen had purchased a pair of skates for herself and given in to young Ashley's plea to decorate them. Helen had worn them proudly for about two weeks before Ashley declared that ice dancing wasn't for her and could she please take karate lessons instead. The skate had been in storage since.

Her old friend had hauled them out when he surprised the Sanctuary crew with a home rink right outside their door. It was nothing fancy, the kind you fill with a garden hose, but it had turned the courtyard into a winter wonderland. Nikola came to cajole her to join him for a glide under the moonlight when he found her still at her work late at night, showing no signs of stopping soon.

He knew he couldn't order her to bed. Even if she agreed to retire to her room, she'd likely just end up working on her tablet until dawn surprised her.

So he insisted she take a break for some fun. Doctor Nikola pronounced a prescription for some physical exercise followed by sustenance. Helen raised her eyebrow at that and pointed out that he didn't cook but he promised the best omelet she ever tasted. Laces knotted, her skates were dangling from his shoulder next to a darker pair in his size. They knocked against each other when he leaned over her desk, wearing his most persuasive smile as he asked her to join him.

"You can skate?"

"Of course, don't be absurd." Nikola flicked his fingers in an idle gesture. "You've visited my birthplace, you know what winters are like in the mountains. There was a lake near the village. I skated on it often as a small child."

"That was quite a while ago," Helen said. She was sure he couldn't have been skating since she had known him. He took himself far too seriously for such a whimsical pastime.

"True talent never dies, Helen. Besides, if I do fall, you wont have to worry about mending any broken tailbones."

"I think I'd pay good money to see you fall on your backside, Nikola Tesla…" she teased with a smile.

"I wouldn't dream of charging you for the entertainment I provide, Helen." Though Nikola considered his presence to be of priceless value, Helen was a special case. It was always 'on the house' for her. "However, you wont get to witness it if you don't get a move on."

"Oh very well." She stood and made for her suite to change into something warmer.

Nikola attempted to casually stroll into her bedroom behind her, as if he were accustomed carrying on a conversation with her while she changed in front of him. Helen pointedly shut the door in his face but changed in a hurry, knowing he'd get impatient standing out in the hall waiting for her.

When she exited he grabbed her hand and hustled her quickly out the door. He laughed when she stumbled to a halt to take the scene. It was magnificently lovely. The moon was nearly full and made the snow-covered surfaces glow. Up on the roof was a stiff unforgiving wind but it didn't reach them down on the ground, tucked between the building. The flakes it blew did though. With the lunar light hitting them as they fluttered down, it seemed like the air itself was twinkling. Helen had seen many incredible things in her life. This was surely among the most… magical.

Nikola's hand still grasped hers; he raised it to his lips and the sensation of them grazing over her knuckles brought her back to herself.

"I rather understand the urgency now." She said, breath fogging delicately in the air.

"Moments like this don't last forever. Even if we do." Nikola said with that cocky arrogant grin she would never admit to finding so attractive. Nikola released her to sit on a stone bench and put on his skates.

She studied his bent head for a moment. Would he never cease to surprise her? Nikola Tesla rarely cared about beauty when it wasn't in the form of science, wine, or Helen herself. But not even he could resist the wintery miracle. Closed off as they were from the outer world here in the courtyard, the rest of the sanctuary asleep, the beauty was all for them. For her and Nikola, her oldest and…most complicated friend.

She frowned at the weak and vague explanation for the two of them. Convenient words simply didn't exist that adequately and accurately summarized what they were to each other. Helen didn't get the chance to mentally tally the connections they had grown over the years, hastily schooling her frown into a pleasant smile before he looked up from his skates and stood.

He hit the ice and set off with a confident, elegant glide. ( _Bloody vampire, he had to be good at everything_.) He pivoted around to raise a eyebrow, silently daring her to be impressed as he showed off, skating backwards.

"Oof," was startled from him in surprise when his back collided with the stone wall of the other wing.

He hadn't put on any speed so it was a mildly graceless bump instead of a highly embarrassing fall. Nikola recalculated with the parameters of the home rink bought on Amazon; it was significantly smaller than frozen body of water he had ever been on.

Helen's laughter reached him on the crisp air and it was free of mocking, full of joy. She didn't tease or chide him. Didn't distract from the wonderful scene the night had given them with their usual banter.

Helen just laughed her tinkling laugh and stood there smiling at him. More warmly and openly than it seemed she had in years.

The dusting of snow from the roof continued, making the air around her dance. The sight of her standing there surrounded by the glittering glow, face alight and ethereally beautiful, was one Nikola knew would be etched into his soul. A lovely memory to pull out for the rest of his life to warm him on lonely days

But Nikola wanted more than just a lovely memory of her. He couldn't hold a memory, or properly share a glass of wine with one.

He beckoned her to join him and she hurried to the bench to put her skates on. Helen couldn't stop smiling as she laced herself up as quickly as she could.

What good would it be to live a dozen lifetimes if she missed the moments like this that made living beautiful?

It was time to see how strong her ankles were after 150 years in heels…


	3. Chapter 3

**December 16th** : Decorating

"Are you remotely aware of the hour?" Nikola's voice startled her.

Though she hadn't expected the question, her mind automatically answered. Of course she was aware. Helen always had a method to her madness. There was a perfectly reasonable explanation for why she was lurking the Sanctuary corridors at 3 am instead of asleep in her bed.

It was tradition.

During holidays in the brief period when Ashley and Henry had been young enough for believing, Big Guy would surprise them one morning to a decorated Sanctuary. Evergreens and tinsel and red ribbons hung everywhere. The foyer held a tree as large as he could fit through the front door. The children had been charmed and her old friend was able to convince them for a few short years that Santa's elves had come and done it in the night to make sure they had a merry Christmas.

When the two had outgrown silly childhood beliefs, Biggie continued to decorate, but no longer felt the need to make it an overnight surprise. Helen had chosen to continue the tradition herself. Ashley in particularly had always loved it, no matter how old she got or how much she professed that Christmas was for kids. She could never hide her smile on the morning she woke up to fake icicles glittering down from each wall sconce. Helen liked to think wherever fate had taken Ashley, she was somehow aware that Helen was thinking of her and decorating for her.

She had been lost in thoughts of Christmases past, both happy ones with her daughter and sorrowful ones with celebrations that lacked the familiar faces of lost loved ones. Softly humming Silent Night, she lost the tune when her thoughts drifted to that first Christmas after James had passed. Henry had been emotional about the fact he had found his de facto uncle Watson the perfect gift before the man had died and would never get the chance to give it to him. They had decided to have the gift interred in James' tomb.

While Helen was lost in her memories, she had completely spaced out in the middle of her task. Her eyes didn't see what was before her, her hands were poised but not holding anything. She was entirely tuned out until Nikola made his presence known.

Of course, when his sudden appearance made her jump it was a rather dangerous reaction. As she was currently perched on top of a ladder, swagging an evergreen garland above the window. The slight waver of her balance was all it took to set the ladder teetering ominously. Helen didn't have time for even a shriek as she felt its support disappear from under her and saw the hall carpet coming fast to meet her. She only had time to squeeze her eyes shut and think that this was bloody well going to hurt.

But when she opened her eyes again she was not on the floor in pain. With impossible speed Nikola had crossed the hall in time to catch her securely in his arms. Helen gawked at him in surprise, slightly winded more from the near miss than the impact of her body against his. He was the very picture of fear and concern until he assured himself she was uninjured. He smiled apologetically for surprising her. But Nikola hated having his vulnerabilities written on his face so it was quickly replaced by a saucy grin.

"No need to throw yourself at me, Helen. If you want my help making this place look festive, you only have to ask."

That didn't help Helen's state of slight shock. Was he really offering to help her hang tinsel and tie bows? Nikola Tesla?

Bloody hell, why not? It was getting rather late and there was only this corridor to finish and the tree in the entrance hall to decorate. A task that went amazingly quickly with Nikola's residual magnetic powers. Ornaments flew from their boxes onto the branches. Many of them she'd had since her days at Oxford. They were valuable as antiques, even if they hadn't had so many priceless memories associated with them. But Nikola was well aware of this and Helen had full trust in him to be careful as he guided the metal hooks onto the tree branches.

With a wave of his hand, he activated the electric twinkle lights strung around it and dimmed the primary lighting of the foyer. the now-decorated spruce stood tall and sparkling, white lights reflecting off ornaments that shone with glaze and polish and glitter. Nikola stepped away for a moment and when he returned to Helen's side he held two glasses of wine. They traded warm smiles and stood side by side in the darkness, shoulders pressed together as they watched the glow of the tree in the silence of two who perfectly understand each other.


	4. Chapter 4

**December 17th:** Shopping

"Come on, Nikola, lets go." Helen insisted, for the 4th time.

"Just one more store, Helen. After all, you are the one who suggested I get gifts for the children."

"That suggestion was for your own benefit, so they'd like you more." Helen pointed out. More like 'dislike him slightly less'. "And don't think you are fooling me for a moment. You're enjoying abusing the credit card privileges you've been a fraction of what you've purchased is gifts for Will, Kate, and Henry. Most of it is for yourself."

Nikola made as if deny that, but Helen merely held up one of the bags in her hand. The one containing the same outrageously expensive cashmere sweater in several different shades. In Nikola's size. The man spent most of his time in 3-piece suits. What did he need so many sweaters for anyway?

He capitulated gracefully, if one ignored the slightly peevish huff. Helen spied an exit and started plowing her way through the dense holiday crowds with Nikola at her side. Until a flash of brass in a store window had distracted him. When she realized he was no longer with her, she circled back to find him just short of pressing his nose against the display window.

"Oh, Helen…" Nikola breathed.

The store sold what she could only call high end tchotchkes: odds and ends and knickknacks with no real use or purpose but really high price points. Several stylized tools were laid out including a compass, a collapsing spyglass, and a microscope which had caught his eye. It was just a glorified paperweight and there was no way it was functional. But she had to admit, it did evoke memories of the early days of the Five. Crowded around the same lab bench to study something new and fascinating.

He was in the high of a spending spree and couldn't resist the lure of the shiny objects around him. He wasn't the sentimental type so he wasn't drawn to the nostalgia of memories as she was. So Helen knew she shouldn't encourage this behavior but his bright-eyed enthusiasm was so endearing.

And out of character for the situation. Nikola's avarice had always tended towards power and fame rather than material goods. But she figured when he eventually tired of his new toy, it would look very nice in her office.

"All right, Nikola" she said with a sigh.

Nikola tore his gaze away from the shiny thing, trying not to pout as he expected to be ordered to the car and perhaps even told not to dawdle like a wayward child. But Helen rolled her eyes at him fondly and smiled.

"One more shop." she tipped her head towards the door of the place in permission.

His face lit up like a child at Christmas. Which Helen supposed he rather was, 150 year old vampire or not.

* * *

Two days later Helen sat down at her desk with a cup of tea and began her work. Or tried to. All attempts to access the network or even her offline files failed.

She requested Henry's presence to deal with the issue only to be informed that he was aware the problem and it was affecting a number of the Sanctuary systems. Nothing was falling apart (yet) but neither could they access anything useful. She had just hung up when Nikola appeared in her office. Without knocking as per usual.

"Greetings, Helen. How are we this fine morning?"

He was far too genial but with her tech issues she was a bit too distracted to take note of it. He leaned over her shoulder, invading her space to peruse her screen which bore the latest error message she had gotten.

"Technical difficulties it seems," he _tsk_ ed, "that's a shame. I guess the grind will have to wait for IT to show up and I hear Wolfboy has a backlog. This means you have time to join me on an excursion." he said with far too much assurance.

"I have work to do, Nikola."

"Work you CANT do, Helen. Not until this mess is cleared up." he countered. "Who knows, that could take some time."

He was too nonchalant. Nikola Tesla thought himself sly but Helen had spent a century and half learning to read him. Her eyes narrowed.

"Nikola, what do you know about this?" Her tone was calm and quiet, but everyone in the Sanctuary knew when Helen was was not to trifled with.

Nikola knew better. He didn't always care. Now he grinned. She was so quick to catch him at his pranks, with that impeccable radar for his mischief.

"What I know is that the problem could take anywhere between 2 hours and 2 days to fix." Nikola said with a smug smirk. He held up a hand to stifle her outrage before she could speak. "I know that if it takes 2 days, you'll have nothing to do but hang over Henry's shoulder until you drive him mad. Excellent reason for you get out into the world instead."

"For two days? Nikola…" Helen shook her head in protest. With the tech out of commission her Sanctuary would be in an uproar, she couldn't just got off on an adventure with him now.

"I also happen to know," he said persuasively, his smile somehow managing to grow even more proud of himself for his antics. "That if you agree to accompany me the car can be here in 20 minutes and once we are safely off, I'll send the young furry a few hints that will let him crack it in no time."

Helen fumed for a long moment. Manipulative bastard. She couldn't very well have her Sanctuary floundering helplessly for 2 days, even if the alternative was physically leaving the Sanctuary herself. Still, _Nikola Tesla notwithstanding_ , things were quiet. Field operations were largely suspended during the holidays. The winter cold had a lot of the population Human or Abnormal hunkered down indoors. If she must be dragged away, it wouldn't be a catastrophe.

Nikola had gone to a damned inconvenient amount of trouble to get her out of the house. Helen knew him well enough to know he must have reasons and was at least halfway certain he wouldn't do this for reasons she wouldn't approves of. But she wasn't about to make this trip pleasant for him.

"Why not just send Henry the solution so he can fix what you've been mucking about in?" she asked. The cool ire in her tone didn't hold much weight when followed by her sigh of defeat.

"Oh, Helen," Nikola said, taking her arm to lead her from the room, "if I simply hand him the solutions, how will he ever learn?"

* * *

40 minutes later they made it to the airport. The limo Nikola had ordered she might have expected when he mentioned hiring a car. He did love to do things with flash. The airport though, that was unexpected.

Well, she wasn't sure what she had expected. If it was business, maybe a trip to conference in Seattle or a new abnormal spotted in the coastal mountains. But Nikola wouldn't need to trick her into that. They also wouldn't need a private jet.

A cold wind was whipping when she stepped out of the car and they hurried into the plush interior of the craft. Her own plane was quite nice but this one was flashier, a little more modern, had more amenities than her comfortable personal craft.

"You approve?" Nikola asked, unbuttoning his jacket to throw himself into one of the comfy-looking leather seats. A bottle of wine stood at ready for him but he ignored it a moment in favor of looking at her.

"Of course," she had to acknowledge. "Its a 'sweet ride' as Henry might say."

Nikola smiled and shook his head at Helen's sense of whimsy.

"Excellent, because this is your Christmas gift," he said.

Helen's eyes nearly bugged out of her head and Nikola couldn't restrain his laughter. If she could only see her face.

"Not the plane, the _trip_." he elaborated. Her relief was nearly palpable. "I mean if you decide you want an air force I will do my level best to make it happen, but chartering this flight consumed more of the paltry paycheck you now give me than I care to contemplate."

It was a bit flattering he would give her such an expensive gift, one that likely took a few days of planning. More forethought than Nikola gave a lot of his schemes, which meant it had clearly been important to him. She was reluctantly beginning to feel touched but had to point out,

"You have access to the network's resourced now, Nikola. Why not simply charter one of the Sanctuary jets? Even if a waiver was denied, it would be a fraction of the cost of a commercial charter."

"Where would be the surprise in that?" Nikola pointed out. He stood to grab the bottle of wine and poured a glass for each of them.

Of course, she realized as he came to hand hers to her. Helen herself approved the waivers for non-essential travel for North American Sanctuaries. It would certainly have crossed her desk. And Nikola did enjoy his secrets until it was time to reveal them in a grand and dramatic fashion.

"You could have simply asked me to join you and done without sabotaging my Sanctuary." she had to scold as she took the wine from him.

"Oh Helen, where would be the _fun_ in that?" He grin, his grin positively villainous.

Cheeky bastard.

"Oh, but speaking of the Sanctuary." Nikola said, pulling his cell phone out. A few taps later he replaced it before toasting her with his glass. "Henry should have everything sorted within the hour. As promised. Now you can relax and enjoy yourself properly."

"So where are we off to?" she asked and took a sip. Then another.

Her favorite wine for the flight. Nikola _had_ thought this one out.

"Tokyo. i remember how you love the shopping there. I thought you deserved a bit of frivolous spending on yourself after following me around that weak excuse for a luxury district all day."

Nikola managed to keep a firm grip on his wine glass as Helen launched herself at him for a hug. Yes, the trip abroad had been an excellent idea for a gift for her. And 10 hours alone in private with her during the flight over was a nice bonus gift for himself.


	5. Chapter 5

**December 18th:** Snowball Fight

"I don't approve of this." Helen glowered when Nikola told her about the battle about to take place outside her window.

"You're getting predictable in your old age, Helen." Nikola snarked at her, tugging on the woolen mittens she had scrounged up for him. Her own might fit him in a pinch; his hands were slender and elegant rather than large. But she wasn't going to risk them being sliced up by his claws.

"My age is irrelevant to how childish this is."

"Its the perfect way to settle the disagreement between myself and the lupine. I know you hate it when I don't get along with your minions and this option is better than the others: letting our Abnormal sides loose to battle it out with tooth and claw, shouting until the entire Sanctuary can hear us, or sublimating everything into a blood feud to last generations. "

Helen rolled her eyes at him. An awful lot of melodrama for a snowball fight between two men who couldn't decide who should get the honor of naming the device they had invented together. Helen rather thought both of their suggested names were ridiculous, but it wasn't her invention to be christened after all. She had agreed to let them run the project by themselves, without interference. That included letting them settle conflicts in their own way.

Still… she hoped she could escape the day without any broken windows, or broken bones. Both men possessed Abnormal strength and it couldn't last long before a stray chunk of ice in a hastily packed snowball nearly took out someone's eye.

Nikola winked at her before marching out to battle and Helen stood inside watching the two overgrown boys, arms wrapped around herself against the chill seeping through the panes of the French door. Her breath was starting to fog the window when Will joined her.

He huffed a laugh when he peered outside and saw the two men hurriedly packing snowballs, creating mounds of ammunition before the fight began. Helen grinned sideways at him in shared amusement.

"Henry's got pretty killer aim. HAP hand-eye coordination is impressive." Will mentioned.

"With Nikola's vampiric speed, he can reload in half the time it takes you to blink."  
Helen pointed out.

"Should we be making bets on who wins?" Will asked, half joke, half suggestion.

She turned to him fully with a mischievous smile. The sort of smile that rarely boded well for him when it came out during a mission. But today, in the warmth of their home with the scent of evergreen and cinnamon and the wood fire in the library, it held a wealth of promise.

"I've got a much better idea…" Helen said secretively. She grabbed Will's hand and he went with it, dashing with her out of the room.

Tesla and Henry stood facing each other across the courtyard, each with a knee-high stock of snowballs within reach. They bickered across the distance about what was and was not allowed. Nikola loved to win any way he could manage it but Helen had ingrained such a sense of fair play into Henry that he knew the only way to truly be acknowledged the victor would be to win by the rules. Finally they settled on the particulars and took up their weapons.

But just as they each wound up to hurl the first frozen missiles, thudding impacts sent snow showering over them. Both men turned and gaped in astonishment.

On the second floor balcony stood Helen and Will, now bundled up against the winter air themselves. The balcony balustrade was lined with more snowballs that the two sent flying through the air, hurtling down to splat against the men below, wet cold slithering down into their collars.

Will had managed to nail Henry right in the side of the head and he collapsed against the railing laughing helplessly as he watched Henry try to claw and shake the snow out of his ear. He wondered how offended the HAP would be if Will pointed out how much the motion made Henry look like a dog with a stubborn itch.

Nikola stared up at Helen, annoyance for the interruption of duel changing to astonishment in a flash, then melting to a playful happiness. Helen knew Nikola's tells and before he even started moving, she was prepared for the break he was making for the patio doors. Doubtlessly, he intended to speed through the building with all vampiric haste and join her on the balcony in time to dump snow down her shirt. But he slid to a halt, sputtering, before he could gain any speed when her next snowball met him in the face halfway to the door. Several more followed it in quick succession, smashing against the top of his head.

Her laughter rang bright as the peal of a bell through the air and Nikola paused in brushing his face clear of snow to look up at her again. The chilly air and fun exertion had her cheeks glowing a jolly red and her smile stretched her face almost impossibly wide. It had been decades since he had seen her so joyful. As he stood watching his dear magnificent Helen on her balcony, Nikola was never more glad that he'd chosen to stay in Old City. Chosen to stay by Helen's side.


	6. Chapter 6

**December 19th:** Caroling

Craving Helen's company was more or less a chronic condition for Nikola, and he indulged it often. Living in the Sanctuary made it extremely convenient. When he made it to her office she was in the middle of a video conference, her eyes flicked to him only briefly before returning her attention to the monitor. Nikola didn't bother to excuse himself; if she had wanted him gone she would have glared at him pointedly.

Since she had generously allowed him to stay, he did her the courtesy of not eavesdropping into her conversation. However laughably easy it might be for him. There was a book he often picked up and read a few pages of when he was loitering in her office, which happened often enough for him to actually become interested in the text. He would pick it up and flip through it (seemingly at random but really he remembered exactly where he had left off before) while lounging in a chair or pacing around in a way he knew Helen found hard to ignore.

Getting her attention by nefarious mean was so fun, it almost ran counter to Nikola's nature to patiently wait for it. Still, he settled himself in a chair across the room near the fire, quickly taking up his book and distracting himself with it before he succumbed to the temptation of distracting her.

He couldn't focus on reading once he began brainstorming ways to do just that. You dont simply turn off a superior mind when it begins spitting out ideas, even if you dont plan to follow through with them. He was just window shopping, as it were. While he contemplated if he were the sort of man to lower himself to crawl across the floor just for the chance to tickle her toes under her desk, Nikola realized Helen's video call had ended.

The sound of voices had been replaced by the clack of keys so she clearly was not finished with her work yet. She hadn't acknowledged him yet. Which could mean that she was upset with him again and ignoring him, but he hadn't done anything to annoy her recently. He was willing to bet she intended to be brief in finishing up.

Indeed only a few minutes later the keyboard sounds stopped and he looked up to see Helen arched in a graceful stretch. Hands above her head, she craned, trying to ease the stiffness of too long a day. She often worked late into the night, Nikola knew. Now he thought she looked tired. He would never be tactless enough to tell her so, she might think she looked anything less than beautiful. But while a faded rose was beautiful too, he prefer his Helen in full bloom.

Helen released the stretch, shaking out her limbs as she settled back on her heels. She smiled at him, glad for the friendly face after a tense conference with the some of the more acrimonious Heads. Helping herself to a glass of wine for the sideboard, she turned to raise an eyebrow at Nikola, asking if he wanted a glass. The expression he gave her in response was ridiculous, but eloquent enough. She passed him his wine and returned to her desk to grab a file, her own reading material.

On her way to sit next to Nikola, she took a detour past the stereo. The low croon of Bing Crosby hummed faintly through the air as she sat besides him. Helen took a hearty sip and let the flavor linger on her tongue for a moment before she finally spoke.

"Good evening, Nikola." she said with a small pleasant smile.

She really did look tired, behind that polite pleasantry and false bravado. It choked the words in his mouth, the dashing wit, the rakish charm that had kept her coming back for a century. Despite her protestations to the contrary. Helen hadn't the precious energy to spare to spar with him.

Nikola faltered a moment before he spoke. "Good evening, Helen."

She raised an eyebrow when he didn't go on. Given an opening Nikola loved to talk. Especially to her. And especially about himself.

"Was there something you wanted?" she asked.

"Just the pleasure of your company, dear Helen." he said with a smile that was supposed to be his usual hopeful leer, but the firelight betrayed the warm sincerity in his eyes.

He wanted to be near her, is all. To bask in her aura. Bless her, she didn't make him actually voice such a pathetically poetic sentiment. His Helen understood him as no other being ever had. She tipped her glass to clink against his with a chime, giving him a tender smile in response. Nikola took up his book again as Helen flipped open the file on her lap.

They read some time in quiet companionship. Nikola actually managed to focus on his book for a chapter before the soft music from the stereo was joined by an accompaniment from Helen. Glancing over, he was certain she didn't even realize she was humming along to White Christmas. Her expression was lighter, less stressed. She still looked like she needed a solid 10 hours of rest but she no longer looked a bit beaten down.

Helen caught him staring at her and looked up. Instead of teasing or scolding, she smiled happily at him before turning back to the file she was reading. But she didn't get a word in before he spoke.

"What makes you love the holidays so, Helen?"

She glanced up at him again, a bit confused by the sudden question.

"You've never been one for organized faith, so its not a religious consideration. I was under the impression that in this modern era, only children were the ones this full of festive joy."

She had a flip reply ready for that, one that deflected his curiosity while also implying he was a child himself. He was always easily distracted by her wit. But it had been such a curiously heartfelt question. He truly wanted to understand what made Helen Magnus the woman she is. And it was pleasant to sit here with him by the fire, Christmas music playing and snow falling against the window outside. So she gave the question the thought it deserved before she replied, letting her attention drift for a moment to let the answer emerge from her psyche.

"Memories." She said succinctly when it appeared, turning in her chair to face him more fully. "I have 160 Christmases worth of pleasant memories of friends and family. Of presents as a child, balls as a young woman, holiday feasts on 4 different continents in, oh, dozens of countries as an adult. Its a wonderful time of year for me, being surrounded by things that remind me of so many happy moments."

Nikola drank in her words, politely pensive of her answer, and refrained from asking after any unpleasant memories. Naturally they existed. Helen's own mother had died so close to the holidays… but Helen Magnus was a most stubborn optimist when she chose to be. Focusing on the cheerful moments of her long life. He was glad she had lived enough cheer to sustain that optimism in trying times.

"And now I'm around like a ghost of Christmas past at Oxford," he offered with a smile.

Her smirk was full of such humor her eyes practically twinkled.

He narrowed his eyes, insatiable curiosity sparked.

"Well? Come, tell me whats on your mind. I can just tell by your face that one of us did something that was frowned upon, but i don't have your impeccable memory for our hi-jinks." He implored her to share the reminisces that amused her so.

Helen hesitated only a second before grinning broadly and leaning forward in her seat.

"Do you remember the musicale we attended that winter at Oxford, when it was just the two of us left behind? The others has gone home to their families, but my father was in Suriname and you refused to leave your experiment for longer than a day. I offered to record the observations for you but you insisted you were the only one who could do it."

Nikola nodded. He did recall. It had been a lovely time, having Helen's attention all to himself. No lectures to attend, no exams to study for, no John hanging about like a lovesick calf or James eyeballing him to make sure Nikola's hand on Helen's back didn't stray below the waist. Nikola did and always had trusted Helen with anything, everything. She _could_ have taken the readings for him, even followed his notes to adjust the settings if fluctuations made it necessary. And would record everything in proper scientific notation.

But if he had undertaken the long trip home, Helen would have been alone for Christmas.

"We let ourselves get roped into attending that recital sponsored by the horticultural society to show off their new conservatory." she continued.

"The orchids made you sneeze," he mused almost to himself. Frankly he was not a bit surprised he could recall that detail after so long. His mind rarely let go of anything to do with Helen. Nikola could even recall what color petals were on the orchids they had been seated near.

Helen however _was_ surprised. She had forgotten that bit herself. She went on.

"We were not informed that it was a Christmas concert. Or that English carols were going to be butchered into French and Italian to make them sound more 'Continental' and fashionable." she scoffed in remembered disgust. "We suffered it out till the first intermission, then-"

He interrupted. "You stole a bottle of sherry from the refreshment table when no one was looking and we slipped out through the service corridor. We had to wait in the cold while our coats were fetched."

They both fell silent for a moment, remembering.

 _The snow had been dusting the quiet world around them. Helen had shivered when it first settled on her and Nikola had removed his dinner jacket. He wrapped it around her shoulders, sliding gentle fingers along her neck to free her long blonde hair from under the collar._

 _Helen had stared up at him as she clutched the warm fabric around her, breathing in the scent of him on it. His fingers drifted up to touch her cheek, brushing aside snowflakes that got bigger as the moments passed between them, their gazes locked. His breath steamed as he softly sighed and leaned in closer to her. Helen tipped up her chin, ready to feel the warm touch of him on her cold lips._

 _Nikola's heart had somersaulted wildly, only to stutter to a halt when in that moment the driver he had ordered drew up beside them. With a manful bit of effort, he gave Helen a tender smile and drew back a step. Best to be mindful of Helen's reputation. John certainly would have killed him if he had returned to rumors. A servant appeared with their coats in the same moment and he briskly bundled Helen into the woolen cloak before she started turning blue._

 _Not that it wasn't a terribly flattering color that brought out her eyes. But he much preferred her in red. Like the blush she had worn on her cheeks as he helped her into the sleigh._

 _"Really?" Helen had widened her eyes at the conveyance as she sat._

 _Sleighs weren't as common as they had been when she was a child. The cobblestone streets made them uncomfortable except in heavy snowfall. It was perfectly fitting for the white world around them that night though._

"The journey home was worth the chill," Nikola interrupted his memories to murmur.

Helen smiled noncommittally but the pink on her cheeks suggested she remembered the truth of that

 _As the horses had strode through the streets, hooves muffled by the snow that didn't cease, Nikola had edged close to Helen. The sleigh contained several lap blankets he had tucked about her immediately, but still she shivered beneath their weight. Shifting an arm around her shoulder, Nikola had tugged her close. Under the many layers of wool, an outside observer wouldn't be able to tell but he went so far as to haul Helen onto his lap. He wrapped himself around the precious bundle of her and willed everything within him to warm her. Remembering the purloined drink, he pressed the sherry into her hand and insisted she drink_

 _Instead of protesting the unprecedented closeness (Nikola was certainly that even now a century later, Helen had never set on John's lap in public), Helen had taken a sip and snuggled in gratefully. Her face turned up to his and she looked a question at him with her piercing blue gaze. But it was a question that didn't need an answer just yet; an answer would only disturb this moment of peace and contentment between._

 _They rode on in silence, Helen watching the white flakes settling into Nikola's crisp dark hair and disappearing as they melted and Nikola watched Helen's eyes twinkle, shining reflection to the gas street-lamps they passed. The snow muffled the sounds of the world around them and they forgot the existence of the driver at the front of the sleigh until it had been only the two of them in all the world._

(AN - i know, caroling isn't even really in there. but most of the Sanctuary crew don't strike me as big singers and frankly i feel like the musical episode backs me up on that *side eye*… plus i had a yen for Oxford Teslen.)


	7. Chapter 7

**December 20th:** Snowed In

The sight of Magnus standing at the door, framed by falling snow and with a halo from the fur lining of her hood, had sent Nikola's heart soaring. He'd spent the past hour glaring out the window, cursing the snow that fell so heavily, the day has sunk into gloom. The flakes fell so thickly, the light couldn't penetrate. And she had been out there in it when she should have been at home with a pair of slippers and a cup of tea.

"Helen, at last. I began to wonder if you had gotten lost." he said.

He hadn't really, her sense of direction was impeccable and Helen knew many corners of the world intimately. But if anything could take down the great Helen Magnus, it was the unbridled wrath of Nature.

He was about to give into the urge to run across the room to her. Shuck her winter gear, lead her to the fire, warm her with his embrace. Apologize for dragging her out in such a snowy gale. Before he could act on the urge, the sound of peevish chatter floated in from behind her.

"And you've brought the children." he said. The gust of cold wind that accompanied them in made a fitting counterpoint to the sight of Helen's three minions.

But that sardonic thought couldn't last long against the simple truth that he was relieved Helen was safe. And he supposed the safety of will, Kate, and Henry was acceptable, even if their presence right now was annoying. So much for a cozy winter getaway with Helen.

"Well, we had no idea what sort of trouble you were in. In this weather backup could take hours, if it even made it through." Helen explained as she pushed off her hood, scanning the room for threats. She didn't expect any, given that Nikola didn't exactly look like he was in any danger.

Tesla nearly laughed at himself. Of course. Why had he ever respected a different reaction from Helen Magnus? He'd only meant to be clever and entice her to chase after him to the safe house he'd done up (well paid to have done up) as a festive retreat. Where he could ply her with food and wine and her favorite music and perhaps a little mistletoe.

But he'd been too busy appreciating his own cleverness to realize Helen might misinterpret the clues he'd left her. She thought he'd gotten into some fresh hell of mayhem and needed her to save him. His knight in shining armor never failed him there. It was flattering to be reminded he was important to her, important enough to assemble a posse and charge to the rescue, stunners blazing.

"Come in and close the door." he said and they bustled inside, shedding snow and coats and ice and mittens. They were well kitted out; no expense spared to rush to his aid it appeared. "Thank you all for coming to fetch me, but i don't believe any of us will be returning home until this mess blows itself out."

If his tone was sardonic, the soothing heat from the fireplace and smell of rich hearty food on the air was more than welcoming enough to make up for. Will and Kate began exploring the cabin but Henry headed straight for the kitchen.

Nikola faced Helen was she unwound her scarf, folding it neatly and setting it on the table near the door. With equal care she placed her hat and mittens just so besides it. Silent all the while. He'd expected a scolding at the least, if not an ear-blistering harangue for endangering them all with travel in a blizzard.

"Aren't you going to ask why you're here?" he asked, unable to bear her reticence any longer.

She turned to him, eyeballing him for a long moment that made him feel stripped bare before her. And not in a sinfully fun way. More in a way like she saw to the heart of him and looked at it with both fondness and humor.

"Oh, i think its quite clear why I am here, Nikola." she glanced around at the cozy environment. If this was a movie she'd expect candlelight, but Nikola was a little too fond of electricity to let a romantic cliche trump it.

Nikola drew a deep breath; she didn't sound angry or even annoyed. He wasn't exactly crazy about the fact that she sounded so pitying (sympathetic, Helen would have corrected) but she did look a bit charmed by the surprise he had arranged.

"You weren't supposed to bring chaperones," he said, pretending to pout for a moment. "But then, a blizzard wasn't supposed to make it dangerous to follow me either. Best laid plans, as they say."

He affected a shrug but Helen knew him well. He was disappointed his plans hadn't work out but more than that… he had been worried about her. The way the air in the cabin had practically vibrated with tension when she had opened the door would have betrayed him if nothing else had. It was rare that Nikola allowed himself to become that emotional, but when he did his powers tend to fluctuate. The air would become charged and every object a person touched would give them a static shock.

Helen could feel that evidence of his unease fading away now that she stood before him. She may have come with a third, fourth, and fifth wheel. But frankly being together was blessing enough in this moment. She smiled as she met his gaze.

"I'm sorry to have dragged you into this, or rather, out in this." He said quietly, not at all like his usual brash self. "you would have been justified to leave me here until after the storm."

She put a gentle hand on his arm.

"Then you would have been all alone," she said, then her eyes softened. "And I would have to spend Christmas without you, my dear. I didn't care for the idea."

Nikola smiled gratefully at her. Thankful for her presence, thankful for her friendship, thankful for her love. With a step forward he settled a hand on her hip. Despite the sound of her proteges stomping about the place, ready to interrupt them at any moment, Helen stayed where she was. She didn't step away from his hand, or remove her own from his arm. They stood, closer than strictly necessary, for a long moment. Nikola noted her creamy skin glowing warmer tones in the firelight. Helen inhaled the fragrance of the wood fire mixed with Nikola's cologne.

* * *

Being snowed in with Helen and her trio was less painful than Nikola would have guessed. It was even a bit… fun. They prepared meals as a group, prompting a lot of laughter and friendly competition to show off cooking skills. Helen told them about the meals she had grown up with in England. Tastes had changed so she rarely tried to reproduce any old recipes. Henry had made faces behind her back where he thought Helen couldnt see them when she had talked about minced beef seasoned with rosemary. She had made it once when he was younger; for him not to like anything made with red meat was significant. For one meal Kate trotted out a few recipes she had learned to make from her Nani. They all laughed at Will who couldn't handle the heat of the spicy curries and had to sheepishly settle for a dish of rice.

They played games, both old (" _Ugh, Magnus, no one plays pinochle anymore. I told you that when you tried to teach me when I was 13," groaned Henry. Who nonetheless did manage a win since Will and Kate had never experienced the game before_ ) and new ( _after being forced through a few hands of pinochle, Henry somehow managed to rig their tablet to display Cards Against Humanit_ y. T _he sheer irreverence of it delighted Nikola._ ).Twister had been unanimously banned after 2 rounds somehow led to no less than 3 large scratches, 2 bloody noses, and a partially sprained wrist.

When the wind stopped howling, they even ventured outside to explore for a short while before the cold chased them back in. Henry and Will had teamed up to create the world's most quickly-constructed snowman before racing each other back inside to warm their numb fingers around a mug of Helen's special recipe hot cocoa. Lightly 'improved' when Kate, rummaging through the liquor cabinet Nikola had so far ignored in favor of the wine rack, discovered a bottle of mint schnapps.

The cabin was well stocked with books and puzzle, dvds and video game consoles. There were plenty of solo activities to retreat to, so they didn't even get a chance to get on each other's nerves. Which was astounding, considering how rarely they managed the same feat at home with an entire Sanctuary to keep them out of each other's personal space.

Knowing Helen's love of the holiday season, Nikola had been prepared, stocking the larder with every festive treat he could think of. Even letting a pretty salesgirl talk him into buying a few he'd never heard of. Probably she had thought he'd been a gullible man after he'd left her shop laden down with luxury chocolate truffles and marzipan candies shaped like reindeer. Usually that thought would offend his pride. But for Helen, well… there really was very little he wouldn't do for Helen. Even look a fool. Besides, he hardly cared what an aimless 23-year-old shopgirl thought of him.

They were able to get in touch with the Sanctuary often enough and Big Guy kept them informed them that all was quiet on the home front. Other than missing the presence of their hirsute friend, they had no complaints. Their time together had passed enjoyably, despite the dread they had all face the prospect with. Helen and Nikola had seen far more years come and go, but for the three young people, it turned out to be one of the best holidays they could recall.


	8. Chapter 8

**December 21st:** Baking AN - I changed up my usual coy, dancing-around-each-other Teslen style for something a little hotter, a little more cracky, and a smidgen more Established Relationship.

Nikola stopped short on the threshold of the kitchen. He had been seeking Helen but was unprepared when he found her.

Humming along with Frank Sinatra singing about winter wonderlands, she had an apron wrapped around her and a mixing bowl in her hands. She was quite festively dressed for Helen Magnus, wearing a green sweater and leggings striped red and white like a candy cane. He decided he rather liked those; they made already delectable legs look longer. Her feet disappeared into a pair of fluffy slippers.

She looked absurd.

She looked beautiful.

Nikola's fingertips itched to run themselves over those stripes, to follow them up her legs.

Helen had one more batch of cookies to prep before the last came out of the oven. It was rare that she had both the time and the inclination to bake, but it conveniently tended to happen around the holidays. She set down her mixing bowl and was reaching for an egg when she felt his presence behind her.

She could always tell when Nikola was near. Even blind and deaf she still would have felt that sizzle on the air, the electricity churning within him. It made the hair on the back of her neck stand on end even before he pressed his lips to her pulse point. Helen smiled and let herself lean back against him, lean but solid; his arms caged her against the counter as he pressed kisses up her neck to her earlobe.

"Hi." he said softly.

"Hi." Her reply was steady but she took a deep inhale that suggested perhaps her knees were not.

His smile was nothing less than wicked as he returned his lips to her neck, now taking nibbles with utmost care, nipping the skin and then laving it with his tongue. Nikola could hear her breath hitch in that way he'd come to deduce was her suppressing a much more delicious sound. He did so love making her moan.

Memories of the many times he had, coupled with her body pressed against his chest had him crowding her against the counter, his senses aflame. Helen spun around in his arms to face him. For a heartbeat he was afraid she would push him away, his heart and libido both howling for the loss of her. But she looped her arms around his neck, drawing him close to press her lips against his.

Nikola's arms wound tight around her, hands finding their way up under her sweater to grasp bare skin. He wanted to touch every inch her but for the moment, just a short moment, he couldn't bear to let her go and put the smallest millimeter of space between them. Sometimes the wound of 60 years spent without her seemed it would never fully heal. When their lips finally parted so they could breathe, Nikola slid his hands down to her hips. Lifting her up to sit on the counter could have all sorts of promising avenues to explore.

But he did not get the chance to explore them. His sensitive nose quivered and nostrils flared as he detected a warning scent. He didn't see any smoke yet though, clearly there was no fire.

"Your cookies are smelling decidedly crisp." he said.

It took only a second for that to penetrate the haze in Helen's eye's, but it was long enough for Nikola to admire the lust written on her face and swell with pride to have aroused it in her.

When it clicked, Helen jumped.

"Bloody hell!" she swore, rushing to the oven.

When she opened the oven door, there was a tiny puff of smoke. Once the tray was removed, cookies didn't look too bad at first glance. But when flipped, the bottoms were burnt black.

"Blast. This batch is ruined. Thankfully I've just enough ingredients to make another." she said. It was mildly irksome, but she had been enjoying the baking. A bit longer wouldn't be a chore.

"Shall I help?" he asked. Helen rolled her eyes at him. "It seems only right, I'm partially responsible for ruination of these."

"Partially responsible? You were 100% of the distraction, Nikola. You have lost your kitchen privileges for the day, or at least until I've finished." She came to place a hand gently against the side of his face and smiled at him to ease the sting of rejection. "Now go along and leave me be."

Nikola managed to slip a kiss onto her fingertips before her hand fell away from his cheek. He left without an undignified protest or further demands for her company. But on his way out he did voice a hope for the chance to sample her sweet treat later when she wasn't occupied.

With Nikola's penchant for innuendo, it wasn't likely he was talking about a cookie.


	9. Chapter 9

**December 22nd** \- Sledding

The Abnormal took off over the snow, Helen's motley crew close behind. They'd been tracking the beast through the snowy hillside for 2 hours now. They'd gotten close once or twice, but the knee-deep snow made it hard for the humans to maneuver quickly. The alpine Abnormal, with fur so white it hurt your retinas to look directly at it in the sunshine. It had feet the size of oars, with large pads and fluffy fur that acted like snowshoes. Despite the weight of the bison-sized beast, it galloped along mostly on top of the drifts.

They'd manage to corner it near a stand of pines, the needled branches growing too closely together for it to charge through. Fanned out in a semi-circle around it, they inched closer with their tranquilizers. But Henry tripped over something buried beneath the snow and went sprawling face first. This opened a gap in their line and the creature took advantage, leaping over the fallen man with a large bound.

It was slowing, Nikola thought - hoped. They must finally be starting to tire it out. But it was a clever creature and broke for the slope, heading downhill. The momentum of gravity helped it put on speed. Will dragged Henry up out of the snow and with Kate they set off. Nikola thought they looked absurd, lifting their knees high like majorettes as they tried to sprint through the deep powder. This could only end with one or all of them tumbling the whole way down.

"I'm beginning to think we might the helicopter for this," Helen sighed beside him.

Nikola suppressed a groan. It could be another hour and half for the helicopter to arrive and he was already sick of being outdoors. If it meant he could get back to a warm fire, a saucy Riesling, and a dry pair of pants, he might be willing to get his hands dirty and help.

Grasping Helen by the shoulders he spun her away from him. She grumbled a protest at the treatment while Nikola began to dig through the pack strapped to her back. There, tucked among an almost worrying number of weapons, ( _how many guns did the woman possess, anyway? she only had two hands to shoot with_ ), was just what he needed.

With a bit of creative folding and the use of a zip tie or two, Nikola managed to transform the sturdy tarp. He threw it down on the ground and extended his hand to Helen.

"After you, my dear." his grin said he was far too proud of his own cleverness.

Helen cocked her head, narrowing her eyes at him. But she only shrugged, taking his hand and letting him seat her on the tarp. He sat behind her, thighs on either side of her hips, snuggling up so close she half expected whispered innuendo in her ears. Instead he gathered up the corners of the tarp and pulled them taut. With the surface beneath them stretched smooth, it only took a little wiggle and a bump of his hips before they began to slip. His gloved hand gave the snow a shove and soon they were sliding downhill.

Pulling the tarp closer, Nikola crowded against Helen's back, wrapping his arms around her and bending her forward. As their profile grew smaller, the wind resistance lessened and they picked up speed. Before long they were sailing past Helen's team, who stopped to gawk in surprise as their boss and her vampire boyfriend swept past on their improvised sled.

They were coming up fast on the Abnormal. Sensing the humans behind it, the creature was trying to put on more speed but had started to stumble in its fatigue. With a lean of his body, Nikola managed to steer them alongside the racing creature. It reared its head back and tried to move away perpendicularly, put some distance between itself and the weird, sliding, two-legged creatures hunting it. But Helen pulled a tranq gun from her jacket, rested the butt of it against Nikola's bicep, and squeezed off a shot.

Despite being jounced over uneven ground, half-blinded by the snow flying up everywhere, with only one hand to shoot with while her other fingers were digging into his leg, holding on for dear life, Helen's shot actually managed to hit home. It took a moment for the sedatives to kick in but the creature's legs buckled beneath it. It wasn't harmed, the snow softened the impact as it hit the ground, but with the steep slope its forward progress continued. As did theirs.

When they finally reached the button the hill, the unconsciously creature slid to a stop next to them. Helen rushed over immediately to check it hadn't been injured. Nikola stood from their improvised sled, brushing the snow from his trousers, though they were likely ruined. Above him he heard a holler and glanced up to see Will, Kate, and Henry still making their way down. Amused by the sight of their boss tobogganing past them and triumphant by the successful capture, cheers and laughter rang through the frigid air. Nikola couldn't help but grin.

If all their missions were so fun, he might consider joining Helen on more of her creature-hunts.


	10. Chapter 10

**Mistletoe**

"Helen." Nikola greeted her with a half-smile as he threw open the door to her office and let himself in unannounced.

His sharp senses noticed that she tensed the moment he spoke. As he entered the room he could feel a change in the atmosphere that he couldn't understand. It wasn't her usual anger at his casual disregard for the social convention of knocking before entering.

"Nikola." Her voice was level, giving nothing away, and she didn't look up to acknowledge him. He paused halfway to her desk, his smile falling from his lips.

"Apologies, did I interrupt something? I know the world simply cannot keep turning without the hand of the great Helen Magnus guiding it."

Helen slammed her pen down with a force that startled him.

Perhaps his words had been a tad too facetious. Still, he hadn't said anything terribly offensive. If anything, it was a compliment to suggest the world couldn't get by without her magnificence.

But Helen didn't seem to take it as a compliment as she stood abruptly, shoving her chair away from the desk as she rose. The look on her face as she rounded her desk was one he had learned not to trifle with. As she stalked toward him, crowding into his personal space, Nikola found himself retreating. When his shoulder bumped the edge of the door frame he realize he had allowed her to _intimidate_ him.

Him, of all people. The last living Vampire, stronger and faster than she could ever hope to be. Smarter too, but only by a small margin; Helen really was brilliant and extremely learned. He never expected to be cowed before a human. And Helen was not the type to use physical intimidation to get what she wanted. She much preferred reason. Nikola couldn't account for her behavior or his own timid reaction to it.

"Helen? Whatever it is I've done, at least allow me to explain before you shoot me again."

His confusion grew exponentially when her stony expression melted into a smile and her eyes sparkled playfully at him. Her entire posture relaxed and if Nikola hadn't witnessed it himself, he would not have believed that Mighty Magnus had made an appearance only a moment before.

"As far as I'm aware, Nikola, you haven't done anything that deserves a bullet." Her tone was full of humor, and something else that didn't fit her or the situation. He knew when she was using their banter to hide her anxieties. "Though, if you'd like to make a confession, I have a firearm in the middle drawer."

"Then why-?" He bit his tongue and settled for gesturing between them, not willing to admit aloud she'd been able to dominate him in such a way.

Helen's smile only grew and she chuckled. She cast her eyes up and when Nikola followed them he recognized the sprig of greenery hung about her door with a bright red velvet ribbon. The little berries peeped shyly through the leaves but did nothing to alleviate Nikola's confusion.

Mistletoe. His eye's dropped to Helen's again, questioning.

Nikola sucked in a breath when he found Helen closer than she had been before he had looked away. She was so close now he could feel her warm breath against his skin in the scant moment before he felt her lips on his.

Helen took one last step, settling in against Nikola with one hand on his chest and the other wrapped around his neck. The hair at his nape was soft under her fingertips but not as soft as his lips. She took more of them as her other hand grabbed his lapel, anchoring herself to him.

Nikola's lungs had ceased to operate and it was a damn good thing he didn't actually need them. Even if he had been mortal, he would have allowed himself to suffocate rather than draw away from her for one moment. He reveled in the sensations of her kiss and hoped the doorjamb would continue to hold him up. He wasn't at all sure it could manage it himself right now.

Just as he remembered that as the gentleman _he_ should be making _her_ knees weak, rather than the other way around, the moment was broken and Helen pulled those sinfully delicious lips away. Nikola knew he should smirk, make a witty comment about how he always knew she couldn't resist him. Move back in for more before she came to her senses and pushed him away.

But he was too taken aback to react properly. 'Taken aback' was such mild language; really, he was completely poleaxed.

His brow furrowed and his eyes begged her for explanation as she grinned at him. She took a step back, her smile becoming rather sly and secret as she tugged his suit jacket back into place.

"Consider it an apology," she said with a shrug. Her fingers lingered on his chest after smoothing his tie down. "I really do have a ton of work to do, so I'm afraid I can't entertain you right now."

Nikola blinked, his shocked system still struggling to catch up. When his mind finally cleared of the Helen-induced haze, the door to her office was shutting between them. She poked her head out of the narrowing gap a moment.

"Find us a bottle of wine worthy of the occasion and join me this evening." She lowered her voice and her wink sent his head spinning once again. "There's more mistletoe in the library."


End file.
